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M - 190
Cryptomuseum
/ Niederlande

M - 190
Crypto Machine / Canada


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aus Crypto Museum

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M - 190
Entwicklungsbeginn : keine Angaben
Schlüsselsystem : Schlüssellochstreifen
Arten der Chiffrierverkehre : individueller und zirkularer Verkehr
kryptologische Festigkeit : abhängig von der kryptologischen Qualität des Schlüssellochstrteifens
Betriebsart : Direktchiffrierung
Übertragungsart der Information : Fernschreib  50 Baudot
Information :
Siemens M-190
The M-190 is a cipher machine that is based on the Vernam principle and belongs therefore to the mixer-class. It mixes the signal from a clear-text paper tape with a random number key-tape. In the German Army the machine was often called LOMI after the Lorenz Mixer on which the M-190 is based. The machine belongs to the One-Time Tape class (OTT), which is based on the so-called One-Time Pad (OTP).

The picture on the right shows the machine with both the clear-text tape and the key-tape present in the machine. Before starting transmission, both sides of the communication link have to ensure that the key-tape is at the same position.

Note the two large lamps (red and green) that are prominently visible on the control panel. When the red light was on, transmission was insecure, but when the green light was on, the cipher system was enabled and tranmission was safe.

The M-190 in the picture above is shown aside a Siemens T-100 (teletype) terminal. Both the clear-text tape and the key-tape are loaded into the machine and are clearly visible. More images below. Click any of them for a close-up.

Hands-on
At the exhibition Secret Messages held in Museum Jan Corver in the Netherlands between October 2008 and February 2009, we had the opportunity to connect two M-190 machines together in a small network. The setup was used to demonstrate the practical use of OTT equipment to the audience.

TThe image on the right shows former intercept-operator Louis van Erck (rear) and Crypto Museum curator Marc Simons (front) each sitting behind a Siemens T-100, exchanging messages at typing speed with an M-190.